A “Celebration of Life” honoring the late Fred Thompson of the Oregon State University football team will be held Thurs., Jan. 12 at 3 p.m. in the Austin Auditorium at the LaSells Stewart Center on campus. The celebration is open to the public.

Head football coach Mike Riley will provide words of remembrance, and team chaplains Tom Ramsay and H.D. Weddel will preside over the approximate 30 minute tribute.

The family of Thompson has created a charitable fund to help offset funeral and other expenses through Chase Bank.

Chase Bank has set up several ways to donate to the “Fred Thompson Memorial Fund”

Visit any Chase Bank branch to submit a check or money order (#941239741)
Mail a check made out to the “Fred Thompson Memorial Fund” to any Chase Bank with accompanying account number in the memo line.
A wire transfer
Transfer money through a current Chase Bank banking account

The surreal events of last night, finding out through a direct message on Twitter that OSU freshman defensive tackle Fred Thompson had died of an apparent heart attack while playing basketball at Dixon, brought back of a flood of memories. And not good ones….This morning, I thought about Fred Thompson’s parents in Richmond, Calif., Freddy and Cora. I cannot imagine their grief, or the pain they will go through.

I think about my two college-age sons, Marc and Michael, who are not much older than 19-year-old Fred Thompson. I wonder if I would be strong enough to handle a tragic accident involving one of them, or something like what happened Wednesday night at Dixon Rec.

Most of all, I’m saying a prayer for the entire Thompson family. It’s all I can do from here, but I am certain Freddy and Cora know that Oregon State – as I’ve found out through the years – is a place that wraps its collective arms around family members and doesn’t let go.

The grieving process began last night. I imagine it’s going to be a long week on the OSU campus.

Oregon State athletics has dealt with heartache and sudden death before. In 1992, Beavers’ basketball player Earnest Killum died of a stroke.

RIP Fred Thompson who was days away from his 20th birthday. Our prayers go out to his family.